Connecting With our Indigenous Community
Our Early Learning Programs are supplemented by opportunities for the children to participate in experiences as a way of connecting with community. Throughout the year a selection of experiences are planned both within the ELC and in the wider community. There are times when we invite an expert to visit Campbell House to implement a workshop with the children where they share their knowledge or resources. These opportunities are carefully designed to connect with, and support, the children’s current learning and inquiries.
Last week, we welcomed Indigenous Educator, Emmy Webbers, from ‘Wurruck Yambo’ to the Early Learning Centre to share her Indigenous language, culture, and history with the children. Emmy introduced the children to the culture and history of the Wurundjeri people by sharing the stories Somebody’s Land and Stories for Simon. The children participated in an acknowledgement of country and observed and discussed a selection of Indigenous artefacts including a possum skin, yidaki (didgeridoo), coolamon (carrying vessel), boomerang, clapping sticks, emu feather costume pieces, and a message stick.
Emmy told stories of the cultural significance of each artefact. To conclude the session, the children learnt about some Aboriginal symbols and used the symbols to create their own story boards. Learning about Aboriginal culture and history will continue in the children’s classrooms as they re-visit and extend upon the conversations and experiences from their workshops with Emmy.
As part of the children’s learning throughout Reconciliation Week, we connected with an organisation known as Children’s Ground to celebrate ‘Wear it Yellow’ day. The children wore casual clothes with a touch of yellow and donated money to Children’s Ground to help provide Aboriginal children with educational and wellbeing opportunities. This was another wonderful opportunity for our children to further extend their learning about Aboriginal culture and their awareness of community.
Such experiences provide incredibly rich opportunities to extend the children’s learning, connect with experts and engage with the community. They expose the children to a range of new and different experiences and help them to make sense of the world in which they live.
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
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Connecting with our Indigenous community
